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LEBANON -- No. 6-ranked University of the Cumberlands escaped with a 14-13 win over Cumberland Saturday at rain-soaked Lindsey Donnell Stadium. The Patriots improved to 4-0 on the season while Coach Dewayne Alexander’s Bulldogs fell to 1-3.

"We feel like we’ve got too good a football team to be 1-3," Alexander said. "Our guys are frustrated and disappointed. I hurt for them because I want to see our guys win. They’ve put in a tremendous amount of work -- on and off the field -- we just came up one point short."

The first half of Saturday’s game was played in a steady rainfall on what was already a very wet and sloppy field. The weather conditions improved in the second half but the field was chewed up, especially between the 20’s.

Cumberland’s defense held the top-ranked offense in the nation to just 275 total yards, including only 142 on the ground. Univ. of the Cumberlands entered the game averaging more than 500 yards of offense and more than 300 rushing per contest.

The Bulldogs were undone in the end by four interceptions from freshman quarterback Christian Burnett, who entered the contest late in the first quarter after a shoulder injury to starter Curt Bureau. Burnett tossed three of the picks in the fourth quarter, the final one on the last play of the game.

"Christian Burnett got put in a tough spot," Alexander said, "he was trying to give his receivers an opportunity to make a play. I was proud of him."

CU was also hurt by seven penalties, which all seemed to come at inopportune times. The Bulldogs also fumbled four times but lost just one.

"There’s no quit in our team or in our staff," Coach Alexander said. "We’re 0-0 in the Western Division and that starts up this Saturday. We’ve got 7 big ball games coming up.

Cumberland opens play in the Mid-South West Division Saturday, Oct. 3 at Bethel Univ. in McKenzie. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.